Vision WeblettersVision Webletter
... a potpourri of items of interest to most everyone. Feel free to share it with your colleagues and others you believe would find the information useful.
1. Promising Help for Those with RP Encapsulated cells have long been hailed for their potential to deliver a continuous, local dose of drugs to treat conditions as diverse as Parkinson's disease and chronic pain. Because the capsule protects the cells from immune attack, the same cell line can be implanted in any patient. Now, a capsule packed with human eye cells has been turned into a drug factory for treating the inherited eye disease retinitis pigmentosa (RP). Trials on people could start within a year. While trials in the past have been disappointing, key lessons have been learned over the past decade. It is now believed that researchers can translate the technology into a practical entity. One lesson was not to target a disease that affects large organs, such as the brain. Instead, the research group at Neurotech of Paris and Boston, is now focusing on the eye, for which far smaller drug doses will suffice. They also picked the cells for their factory carefully, using human retinal cells that are adapted to the environment in which they would be implanted. They chose to treat retinitis pigmentosa, a disease that destroys the retina and affects millions worldwide. While the genetic cause is often known, there is no effective treatment. A variety of substances have been shown to halt the disease in the lab -- the problem is how to deliver them to the eye continuously and at the proper dose. Clinical trials using dogs with RP have been encouraging. Dogs were used since the size of their eyes is very similar to those of humans. Trials have shown that a slow, timed release of small amounts of drug to the eye works much better than does a single large injection. It is hoped that this research will continue to be successful. Gene therapy, a "rival" way of treating eye diseases, involves implantation. Once the genes are in, they are in to stay. However, by using encapsulated cells, they can be pulled out when a newer, better model of cells has been developed, or a problem develops. 2. A Unique Middle East Daily Braille Newspaper Believed to be the only Braille daily newspaper in the Middle East, Iran-e-Sepid, or White Iran, strives to promote knowledge among Iran's blind and highlight the problems they face in daily life. Its priority is to improve the general knowledge of the blind so that being blind does not prevent them from knowing and learning what the "clear-sighted" know. It also seeks to promote the rights of the blind and familiarize others with how to respect and treat them. The problems of Iran's blind are numerous. Many stem from Iran's rules as an Islamic republic. Blind men and women have trouble meeting because of Islam's strict separation of the sexes. Guide dogs are expensive - and dogs are regarded as unclean in Islam. Even navigating the streets in Tehran and other cities can be perilous because of the many potholes and bumps. The newspaper is classified as a reformist daily supporting President Mohammad Khatami's program of social and political freedom. Consequently, Chief Editor Soheil Moeini, blind since a childhood accident, is cautious in his editing to avoid being shutdown by Iran's hard-line judiciary. The newspaper is operating in a region - and in a country - where the public has little understanding of the difficulties of those who are blind or visually impaired. The Iranians generally do not recognize or understand even the use of the white cane. While some do help, there are no laws in Iran to protect the rights of blind individuals. Launched in 1997, Iran-e-Sepid reaches more than 4,000 readers out of an estimated 500,000 blind Iranians. The paper carries a summary of the news, and inside pages focus on social and cultural issues, especially those related to the blind. It has five blind reporters, and most other staff also are blind. The newspaper publishes six days a week, operating with government subsidies. Unfortunately, its printing presses are old and worn out. Last year, they tried to buy modern Braille presses from the U.S. but were unable to do so because of U. S. sanctions against Iran for allegedly supporting terrorism - a charge Iran rejects. "We had hoped that Americans would have excluded Braille presses from sanctions as it runs contrary to humanitarian purposes," Moeini commented. 3. Olympia: New Handheld Electronic Magnifier Telesensory Corporation has just introduced a powerful, portable, lightweight magnification system, the Olympia, that allows people with macular degeneration or other visual impairments to read, write and live more independently. The Olympia magnifies reading material, checks, letters, prescriptions, food labels and pictures up to 26 times. It features a tilted screen for comfortable viewing, glare reduction and adjustable brightness capabilities to meet the needs of specific vision conditions and has a wide-screen viewing in three modes - full color, negative mode with white letters on black background for high contrast and positive mode with black letters on white background for maximum clarity. These options make reading easy and enjoyable. The versatile system connects to a television for people who prefer a large screen, increasing the magnification range up to 76 times. A folding writing stand provides 4.75 inches of clearance, allowing the user to set the system over the base and then write letters and checks or do other paperwork with ease. The carrying case, battery pack and optional car adapter provide additional portability. Olympia and other Telesensory products are available through dealers and distributors worldwide. The extensive sales and service network provides in-home product demonstrations and personalized customer support to ensure the magnification system meets the needs of the individual. Olympia is priced at $2,495 with an introductory offer of $2,295 good through April 30, 2003. Telesensory products are backed by a 30-day money back guarantee and a two-year warranty. Call 800.804.8004 for details. 4. Tiny Hard Drive Revolutionizes Media Storage The revolutionary StorCard, to be available in the second half of this year, is the exact size and thickness of a credit card and can contain from 100MB to more than 5GB of data. At first glance, it looks like a credit card and even has a magnetic strip like a credit card, for potential use in standard credit card readers. The hard drive data, however, is accessed on a tiny spinning disk inside the thin card. This spinning wheel made of Mylar is engaged when the card is inserted into a StorCard Reader, a USB-connected drive or PC Card that reads and writes to the StorCard. The Reader is expected to retail for under $100 and the cards for under $15 each. Amazingly, the on-board processor contains integrated software controls that can encrypt data securely in real time. The StorCard - like a credit card - is extremely flexible, without risking damage to the data it contains. Because of its high capacity and inexpensive price, the StorCard will be a viable solution for consumers and businesses. It will provide high performance to quickly handle large amounts of data and will support a volume sufficient to stream media files and could even store material that previously would fit only on a DVD. 5. Office Depot Now Offers Large Print Books Until now, the Virginia M. Woolf Foundation, a non-profit that provides books on CDs through its Text-Key website, has emphasized the availability of their 28- and 48-point type books for reading on a computer screen without scrolling. To print these large type sizes on paper can require from 500 to 30,000 pages, depending upon the length of the book and the point size selected. Therefore, it isn't practical to use home computer printers for this purpose. However, now through a special partnership with Office Depot, anyone with a Virginia M. Woolf Foundation CD will be able to take it to a local Office Depot location and order a hard copy printout of the entire book or just a part of it for four cents per page - a special discount price of almost 50%. To reduce the number of pages, double sided printing is available for eight cents per page. Binding is also available with a ten percent discount. The book will then be ready for pickup in 48 hours. Schools and libraries should find this service of special value to their students and patrons. The CDs can be purchased for $11.50 from Vision World Wide, the Braille Institute, the Center for the Partially Sighted, and through the Foundation's website at www.text-key.com. Each CD contains 5 versions of a book. There are versions in 28- and 48-point type suitable for reading on a computer screen without scrolling. Two additional versions are provided in those type sizes suitable for printing. Another version is used by screen readers for the blind. For a complete listing of available titles, visit the Foundation's website. If you decide to buy, Vision World Wide will appreciate you telling them you read about this offer in the Vision Webletter. Contact: Virginia M. Woolf Foundation: Mike Gold at 310.379.8321. E-Mail: mgold@text-key.com. Web: www.text-key.com. 6. An Accessible Mobile Phone Now A Reality As the enormous group of visually impaired people worldwide play or want to play an active and self-reliant role in society, access to information and human interaction in every situation is required. It is hoped that the basic needs of this consumer group will be fulfilled soon with the release of Alva's Mobile Phone / Organizer (MPO), a compact, easy to carry all-in-one device for mobile situations. It measures 8.9" x 3.8" x 1.6" (225 x 96 x 41 mm) and weighs 1 lb. 8 oz. (680 gram). Use the MPO to make phone calls, send SMS messages, look up information and take notes. Enjoy today's wireless communication, information and entertainment services at home, or on the road. The MPO operates for about one day on rechargeable batteries (depending on functionality and output medium), and can be linked to a PC to exchange data. For the visually impaired, all functions including menus, contact information, SMS messages, services, and system information are made accessible in braille and speech. To enter information, the MPO 5500 offers an 8-key braille keyboard. Alternatively there is the MPO 3500 with speech-only output and a regular QWERTY keyboard. The many features of both units are truly awesome but even more functionality is being planned. 7. One-On-One Window-Eyes Training Window-Eyes Basic Skills and Intermediate Skills training will be held not only in Fort Wayne, Indiana but also in a number of locations throughout the United States and Canada. Currently scheduled courses include:
Window-Eyes Basic Skills are taught on the 1st day and Window-Eyes Intermediate Skills are taught on the 2nd day. You can register online for these training classes by going to: www.gwmicro.com/training/training.php?step=reg. Be sure to insert the confirmation code for the specific course in which you wish to enroll. A trainee can sign up for one or both day's courses at each location. (Certain restrictions apply.) Additionl inquiries may be sent by e-mail to: sonja@gwmicro.com of by calling 260.489.3671.. A syllabus of each day's course is available on the GW Micro website at: www.gwmicro.com/ Actual class training time is 6 hours. Class size is a minimum of three and a maximum of ten. Class registration will be closed 15 days prior to the start of the class. Cost: $250 per day per person if you bring your own computer; $350 per day per person if GW Micro provides the computer. Fees must be paid at the time of registration. Check, Purchase Order, or Credit Card accepted. Computer competence is the key to life-long success in this 21st century! So, we believe you will want to take advantage of these opportunities. 8. DocMorph's "Reading Room": A Free Service Probably one of the best kept secrets is the unique and valuable service available through the U. S. National Library of Medicine (NLM). Since 1999, its DocMorph website allows users to upload scanned image files and other types of information for conversion to alternative formats. It processes more than 50 types of files. Some of the document conversion techniques offered are not available elsewhere on the web. By using your web browser, you can upload files to DocMorph for conversion and usually in less than one minute your results are ready. DocMorph's Reading Room allows you to submit either scanned images of printed material or text files. A web page that uses synthesized speech to read the material out loud is returned. If the material is "crisp", the results are great. Anyone can use the site absolutely free. The only requirement is that the user complete a simple registration form. For complete instructions and more information, just go to: http://docmorph.nlm.nih.gov/docmorph/. 9. ZoomText Training in Ohio The staff of the Cincinnati Association for the Blind is offering ZoomText Training on May 17, 2003.. For course and registration information, contact Cincinnati Association for the Blind by calling 513.221.8558 or send e-mail to kevin.dobens@cincyblind.org. 10. Chess, Anyone? Ever wanted to learn chess but feared the game was over your head? Actually, the game can be played by anyone at any level. For some, chess is simply a pleasant pastime; for others, it's an intense competition of the mind. The Hadley School for the Blind's new course, Chess for Beginners, introduces you to this wonderful game. Available in braille as well as on audiocassette, this tuition-free course teaches you the basics of chess in the comfort of your home at a pace that's right for you. The goal of Chess for Beginners is to familiarize you with the basic rules of the game. To do so, the textbook, Play Winning Chess, by Yasser Seirawan, has been adapted to meet the needs of visually impaired, distance education students. It not only describes the evolution and appeal of chess, but also identifies the necessary equipment for the game. After learning to read and write chess moves in print and braille, you'll be able to describe the chessmen and how each one moves. The course also includes a discussion of Forsyth diagrams, which describe the positions of chessmen on the board at a particular point in the game. Additional rules that can help you win the game are covered as well. A quick reference guide is included, which lists all braille chess notation abbreviations. You really don't have to be a whiz to enjoy this ancient game. Once you've mastered the basic rules, you'll be fascinated by this game of strategy. This course is open to students in the Adult Continuing Education and High School Programs. Enroll today by contacting: Student Services, Hadley School for the Blind. Tel: 800.526.9909. Tel: 847.446.8111. Fax: 847.446.0855. E-mail: student_services@hadley-school.org. Web: www.hadley-school.org 11. Video Portrays Positive Effects of Technology By offering numerous profiles of individuals with disabilities who have experienced enhanced lives through technology, ENABLE: People With Disabilities and Computers is extremely useful to educators, disability professionals, caregivers, employers, as well as to individuals with disabilities such as blindness, hearing impairment, mobility impairments of various types, stroke, cerebral palsy, and other disabling conditions. Consequently, it can be used in a variety of settings, from training faculty, students and work site supervisors, to helping persons with disabilities understand how technology can assist them. Each of the individuals profiled describes his/her disability in a personal, unique way, often emphasizing the liberating impact of technology in all aspects of their lives - at work, at school, and at home. The video shows all kinds of adaptive technology, both hardware and software. Format: VHS videotape (US, Canada, and other countries using the NTSC format. Cost: $17.75 (USD). This also includes a free Video CD that can be viewed on most DVD players and Windows PCs. To order, contact: Rehab Tools.com, PO Box 572190, Houston, TX 77257. Tel: 281.531.6406. E-Mail: EnableVideo@rehabtool.com. Web: www.rehabtool.com. 12. Windows XP Explained Whether you're totally new to Microsoft Windows or upgrading from a previous version, Windows XP Explained provides a thorough introduction and grounding in this new operating system. Dr. Sarah Morley describes basic computer terminology and Windows concepts - the desktop, the Start Menu - and goes on to cover more advanced Windows XP functions and features. She explains all objects and tasks from a non-visual perspective, and includes a comprehensive listing of keyboard commands. For those who find graphics helpful, we offer a collection of screen illustrations - both in large print and tactile versions. No matter what your computer skill level, Windows XP Explained enables blind and visually impaired users to take full advantage of this new version of Windows when using it with assistive technology. The publication is available in several formats and combinations: Text book:
Diagrams:
Sets:
To order, contact: National Braille Press, 88 St. Stephen Street, Boston, MA 02115-4302. Or, call and charge it: toll-free 800.548.7323 or 617.266.6160 ext 20. Or, e-mail your order to orders@nbp.org. Web: www.nbp.org/xpexplained.html. 13. Device Lets Fingers Do the Talking Following the viewing of a television documentary on the difficulties of communication between people who are deaf and blind, Swinburne University graduate Peter Hvala designed the Tacticom-Alpha glove that stores the information conveyed by deaf-blind people, who use a method of palm communication called "deafblind fingerspelling" to spell out words. It is then transmitted in much the same way as a mobile phone text message. In essence, the Tacticom-Alpha is a well-fitted glove with embedded signaling buttons that enable transmission and receiving of tactile fingerspell messages. The buttons have a dual operational function, and comprise of a force activated circuit switching mechanism for signal transmission, and a linear actuator, that provides for tactile signal receiving. The buttons are positioned at point locations corresponding to those points used during tactile finger spelling. The Tactile-Alpha is non-obtrusive to the wearer and relies on low power, controlled force actuation devices to transmit signals. The communications concept is integrated within a glove platform, which not only enables custom device manufacture (to fit all hand sizes and shapes) but also permits for acute tactile signal reception, tuned specifically for the Merkel disk mechanoreceptor afferents within the human hand. The glove is constructed from both goats leather (for durability and dexterity) and latex (for stretch, breathability and durability). The device was designed as a conservative and unobtrusive wearable product. It slides effortlessly on and off the user's hand and is fastened with a single Velcro cuff snap. The electronics housing comprises braille lettering and a soft decal molding to compliment the tactile nature of the product. When marketed, it is believed the international appeal of this device could benefit tens of thousands of individuals. 14. Free Online Computer Courses Cathy Anne Murtha, Online Access Technology Trainer, has placed two more online courses on her website that can be downloaded via e-mail to your computer free of charge. The first course teaches the use of the Eudora e-mail program. This course gives you an exploration of the fundamentals of Eudora. From sending and receiving e-mail to adding nicknames to your address book, managing mailboxes, creating signatures and filters, and more, this online course will give you a solid foundation in the use of this powerful e-mail program. The second course teaches many of the fundamentals of Microsoft Word and is a sample of the full independent study course that she sells. Other free online courses include:
To take advantage of these free courses at ATI, please visit www.accesstechnologyinstitute.com/mainmenu/ 15. Shop Online & Help Support Our Work If you appreciate receiving this Webletter free, we really will appreciate you remembering Vision World Wide as you shop online. You do not incur any additional charge for your purchases, we receives a small commission for each dollar you spend. This money helps with our many programs and services. To ensure purchases count for VWW, here are some guidelines:
We truly appreciate the support many of you are giving by listing Vision World Wide as the charity of your choice when you place orders online. Designating Vision World Wide as you shop provides a great opportunity for you to become a partner in our work. 16. Distribution Note You are encouraged to share this free Vision Webletter with anyone on your mailing list that you think would find it useful. Readers wishing to receive future Vision Webletters in their own mailboxes should just send an e-mail message to: visionworldwide@yahoo.com, or subscribe directly at www.visionww.org/journal.htm. Vision World Wide does not lend or sell any of its mailing lists. As this is just a mini sampling of the information contained in our comprehensive 68+ page quarterly journal, Vision Enhancement, you are invited to become a subscriber. More information and sample issues are available at www.visionww.org/journal.htm. All issues of our Vision Webletters are available at www.visionww.org/visionenews.htm
Vision World Wide, Inc. * 5707 Brockton Drive - #302 * Indianapolis, IN 46220-5481 * Tel: 317.254.1332 / 800.632.7152 * Fax: 317.251.6588. E-Mail: info@visionww.org Web: www.visionww.org
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World Wide
5707 Brockton Drive, #302
Indianapolis, IN 46220-5481
Phone: 317-254-1332
Toll Free: 800-632.7152
Fax: 317-251-6588
E-Mail: <info@visionww.org>
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1995-2003
by Vision World Wide Inc. All rights reserved.
Updated March 4, 2003
